How to Withdraw from Public School in Massachusetts to Homeschool

Most states let you pull your child from public school by sending a single letter and starting homeschool the next day. Massachusetts does not work that way. The state's prior-approval requirement means you need to submit an education plan to your superintendent and wait for approval before your child can legally be considered a homeschooler. If you mishandle the transition — particularly the timing — you create a window where your child's absences look like truancy. Here's how to do it correctly.

What Makes Massachusetts Different

Massachusetts homeschool law is grounded in case law rather than a dedicated statute. The 1987 Care and Protection of Charles decision established four criteria the superintendent or school committee uses to evaluate a proposed home education program:

1. The curriculum and hours of instruction
2. The competency of the parent or instructor
3. The adequacy of instructional materials
4. The method of evaluating the child's progress

Until your education plan is submitted and approved under this standard, your child is not legally a homeschooler — they are a student enrolled in the public school system, and absences accumulate.

Step 1: Write Your Education Plan First

Before you send any withdrawal notice, draft your education plan. This document goes to the superintendent alongside — or slightly before — your withdrawal letter, so there is no gap in your child's educational status.

A Massachusetts education plan should cover:

Subjects: Massachusetts expects coverage of English language arts; mathematics; science and technology; history and social science; physical education; and the arts. Your plan should address each of these, even briefly.

Curriculum and materials: Name the specific curriculum or resources you plan to use. This doesn't need to be a published curriculum — you can describe online resources, library books, and parent-designed instruction — but the more concrete and credible your materials list, the faster the approval typically goes.

Instructional time: BESE public-school reference figures are 180 days, 900 hours for elementary students, and 990 hours for secondary students. These are reference benchmarks rather than rigid private-school statutory requirements; your plan should explain a comparable commitment through structured instruction and independent learning.

Assessment method: Choose how you will document your child's progress. Common options are:

• Portfolio review (work samples reviewed by the superintendent or designee)
• Standardized testing (Iowa Assessments, Stanford Achievement Test, or MCAS voluntarily)
• Evaluation by a certified teacher who submits a written assessment

Many families prefer portfolio review because it gives you more control over what is submitted and better reflects the range of learning happening at home.

Step 2: Send the Withdrawal Letter and Education Plan Together

Send both documents — your withdrawal letter and your completed education plan — to the superintendent's office at the same time, via certified mail with return receipt. This creates a documented record of when you submitted both documents. It does not replace the requirement to obtain approval before beginning home instruction.

Your withdrawal letter can be brief. It needs to state:

• Your child's name and grade
• The school they are currently attending
• The effective date of withdrawal
• Your intent to provide home instruction under MGL c.76 §1

Do not send just the withdrawal letter alone. Families who do this create a situation where the district has a record of disenrollment but no pending educational alternative — which can trigger an attendance inquiry within a few weeks.

Step 3: The Approval Period

Response timing varies by district. During this period, continue complying with public-school attendance requirements and do not begin home instruction until you receive written approval. If there is no response, follow up with the district or an advocacy organization rather than assuming approval.

If your plan is rejected, you have the right to appeal to the school committee under the Charles framework. Rejections are relatively uncommon when education plans are substantive and clearly written. Vague or sparse plans are more likely to draw pushback.

The Brunelle v. Lynn (1998) decision held that a home visit is not presumptively essential and cannot be required without parental consent. If your district asks to inspect your home as part of the review process, you can decline — though some families agree to visits voluntarily to build goodwill with a cooperative district.

What Happens After Approval

Once you receive written approval, keep it on file. Renewal practices vary by district, so ask whether you need to submit an updated education plan or another renewal document.

If you move to a different school district, you start the prior-approval process again with the new superintendent. There is no statewide database of approved home education plans; approval is local.

Mid-Year Withdrawals

You can withdraw at any point during the school year. There is no requirement to wait until summer or the end of a semester. Send your documents — certified mail — and follow the same process. Be aware that mid-year withdrawals sometimes receive more scrutiny from districts, particularly if your child has had attendance or behavioral issues at school. A well-prepared education plan matters more in these situations.

If your child has an IEP, approved homeschool students retain access to district special-education services under M.G.L. c. 71B, § 3. Ask the district about referral, consent, evaluation, and service arrangements before you withdraw if your child's services are significant.

Homeschool Groups and Microschools as Part of Your Plan

Many Massachusetts families withdraw from public school and immediately enroll in a learning pod or microschool as their primary homeschool setting. This is fully compatible with the Massachusetts prior-approval framework — your education plan can reference a co-op curriculum, a microschool facilitator, or a pod-based learning structure. The approval is for your child's education program, not specifically for instruction at home.

If you're planning to withdraw and move into a microschool or learning pod setting — rather than solo home instruction — the Massachusetts Micro-School & Pod Kit at homeschoolstartguide.com/us/massachusetts/microschool/ includes withdrawal letter templates, education plan frameworks, and guidance on the prior-approval process for group-based homeschooling.

See more Massachusetts guides →